''The Two Orphans'' ( it, I Due Orfanelli) is a 1947 Italian

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Mario Mattoli Mario Mattoli (; 30 November 1898 – 26 February 1980) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 86 films between 1934 and 1966. His 1939 film ''Defendant, Stand Up!'' was shown as part of a retrospective on Italian comedy ...

and starring

Totò Antonio Griffo Focas Flavio Angelo Ducas Comneno Porfirogenito Gagliardi de Curtis di Bisanzio (15 February 1898 – 15 April 1967), best known by his stage name Totò (), or simply as Antonio de Curtis, and nicknamed ''il Principe della risata ...

. It is based on the 1874 play of the same title by

Adolphe d'Ennery Adolphe Philippe d'Ennery or Dennery (17 June 181125 January 1899) was a French playwright and novelist. Life Born in Paris, his real surname was Philippe. He obtained his first success in collaboration with Charles Desnoyer in ''Émile, ou le ...

and

Eugène Cormon Pierre-Étienne Piestre, known as Eugène Cormon (5 May 1810 – March 1903), was a French dramatist and librettist. He used his mother's name, Cormon, during his career. Cormon wrote dramas, comedies and, from the 1840s, libretti; around 15 ...

Plot

The story is set in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

in the middle of the 19th century. Caspar (Totò) and the Baptist (Campanini) are two poor homeless staying in an orphanage, not knowing where to stay. One day the two orphans are called by the director to solve a very special case: Susanne, a girl from the orphanage would like to marry a rich young but his father is against it because he does not know anything about the origins of his girlfriend. So Gasparre has the bright idea to cut a lock of hair to swap it with that of Susanne and so the father of the rich man discovers that the owner of the hair is of noble origins and thus a relative. Caspar along with the Baptist enters the new family but the nobles Parisians have in mind to delete the new emperor

Napoleon III of France Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...

and the two tramps are involved against their bungling. Being in the real room of the emperor, Napoleon immediately catches them and makes them stop, so Caspar and Baptist are sentenced to the

guillotine A guillotine is an apparatus designed for efficiently carrying out executions by beheading. The device consists of a tall, upright frame with a weighted and angled blade suspended at the top. The condemned person is secured with stocks at th ...

. But just as the ax is about to fall on their heads, the two orphans wake up with a start: it was all a dream.

Cast

as Gasparre *

Carlo Campanini Carlo Campanini (5 October 1906 – 20 November 1984), was an Italian actor, singer and comedian. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1939 and 1969. Life and career Born in Turin, Campanini attended a technical school and a course of ...

as Battista *

Vera Bergman Vera Bergman (16 February 1920 – 1971) was a German stage and film actress known for her roles in Italian films. Bergman died in 1971. Biography Vera Bergmann was the daughter of Dutch diplomat Carl Bergman. Her mother was of Austrian descent ...

as Una collegiale *

Franca Marzi Franca Marzi (18 August 1926 – 6 March 1989) was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 80 films between 1943 and 1977. Life and career Born in Rome as Francesca Marsi, after working in the revue, Marzi made her film debut in her early ...

as Susanne *

Isa Barzizza Isa Barzizza (born 22 November 1929) is an Italian actress who has appeared in 46 films since 1947. Life and career Early life Born in Sanremo, Barzizza is the daughter of the conductor and composer Pippo Barzizza.Gianfranco Baldazzi. "Isa Barz ...

as Matilde *

Nerio Bernardi Nerio Bernardi (23 July 1899 – 12 January 1971) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in nearly 200 films between 1918 and 1970. He was born in Bologna, Italy and died in Rome, Italy. Selected filmography * ''Nero'' (1922) * ''The Sheph ...

as Il ducca Filippo *

Raymond Bussières Raymond Bussières (3 November 1907 – 29 April 1982) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 160 films between 1933 and 1982. He was born in Ivry-la-Bataille and died in Paris. He is buried in Marchenoir. He was married to the ac ...

as Deval *

Ada Dondini Ada Dondini (18 March 1883 – 3 January 1958) was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 48 films between 1916 and 1954. She was born in Cosenza, Italy and died in Chieti, Italy. Selected filmography * '' The Charmer'' (1931) * ''Just ...

as La direttrice dell'orfanatrofio *

Luigi Almirante Luigi Almirante (30 September 1884 – 6 May 1963) was an Italian stage and film actor. He appeared in 62 films between 1921 and 1955. Life and career The son of a stage actor, Almirante was born in Tunis, where the theatrical company of ...

as Il boia di Parigi *

Dina Romano Dina Romano (born Geltrude Ricci; 16 February 1876 – 7 November 1957) was an Italian stage and film actress. She appeared in more than fifty films during her career including ''The Materassi Sisters'' (1944).Landy p.285 Selected filmography * ...

as La domestica del boia *

Galeazzo Benti Galeazzo Benti (6 August 1923 – 21 April 1993) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than 70 films between 1942 and 1991. Life and career Born Galeazzo Bentivoglio in Florence, Italy, a descendant of the Bentivoglio family, which rul ...

as Giorgio *

Mario Castellani Mario Castellani (24 November 190625 April 1978) was an Italian comic actor, best known as the sidekick of famous comic actor Antonio De Curtis (Totò). He appeared with the latter in all his major movies, as well as many of Totò's theatre pro ...

as Il maggiordomo * Luigi Erminio D'Olivo as

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...

References

External links

* 1947 films 1940s historical comedy films Italian historical comedy films 1940s Italian-language films Italian black-and-white films Films directed by Mario Mattoli Films about orphans Films set in Paris Films set in the 19th century Cultural depictions of Napoleon III Minerva Film films 1940s Italian films {{1940s-Italy-comedy-film-stub